Board of Commissioners Agendas and Minutes - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call to order, Marywood County Board of Commissioners special call meeting, August 31st, 2026, at 6 p.m. Please silence your cell phones and any other electronic devices. Please stand for the invitations given by Mr. Fisher. Let's call about a pledge. Pledge.

Heavenly Father, and thank you for this day, for the opportunity to come together in service to our community. As we begin this meeting, grant us wisdom, and good judgment in the decisions before us. Help us to listen with patience and work together with spirit of cooperation. Guide our actions, bless the citizens represented, and help us always remember the responsibility and trust in us. In Jesus Christ's name, we pray. Amen.

Amen. I pray, ladies, this is my time.

Now we'd like to adopt the agenda. Any changes to the agenda?

No, sir. Mr. Chairman?

I'll make a motion we adopt the agenda.

Second.

All in favor? Now I need a motion to go into public here for the 2026 property tax millage rate. So moved. Second. All in favor?

Commissioner's Georgia law requires the county to advertise its tax digest in five-year history, a levy each year, and to hold a public hearing before the Board of Commissioners adopts the annual millage rates. The 2026 rollback rates have been calculated by the tax commissioner, certified on the Department of Revenue's PT32.1 form. The required notices were published in the county's legal organ on August 20th, 2026. The purpose of this public hearing is to provide citizens with the opportunity to comment, on the proposed millage rates before the Board of Commissioners takes actions to adopt the county's millage rates and approve the millage rate adopted by the Board of Education. The proposed rollback rates for 2026 are as follows. Countywide general government, 12.277 meals, Fire District, 2.304 meals. Fire Bond, 0.646 meals. The Board of Education millage rate adopted on August 28, 2026, 16.661 meals. Because the county has proposed to adopt the calculated rollback rates, the proposed rates do not constitute a property tax increase under Georgia law. At this time, the recommendation is to conduct a public hearing, allow an opportunity for public comment. And to assure the record reflects that the hearing was properly advertised and conducted with accordance with Georgia law.

At this time, I'd like to ask, does anybody have public comment? Ain't no public comment. We'd like to adopt the 2026. I'm out. I'm making a motion we close the public hearing for 2026 minutes. Second. All in favor? At this time, I'd like to adopt the 2026 minutes recommended from the Fairwood County Board of Education Associated Documents.

Commissioner's approval of the Mary Willie County Board of Education's 2026 millage rate is required by the Board of Commissioners. The Board of Education adopted a millage rate of 16.661 mills on August 28, 2026. State law requires the Board of Commissioners to approve the Board of Education's millage rate so that it may properly be levied and collected by the tax commissioner. And you have behind that the documentation of the Board of Education resolution to adopt a millage rate, and they did advertise their five-year history.

Do they have a small decrease also?

Yes, sir. The school board decreased 0.155 meals.

We have a motion to adopt.

Make a motion to adopt it as presented.

Second.

All in favor?

Now we need to adopt the 2026 millage rate from Beverly County. Resolution of the associated document.

Commissioners, as presented, the 2026 rollback millage rates have been calculated and certified by the Board of Assessors and Tax Commission and has properly been advertised. The proposed millage rates are countywide general government 12.277 meals, fire district 2.304 meals, fire bond 0.646 meals. Adoption of these rollback rates ensures that the 2026 millage levy does not constitute a property tax increase under Georgia law. A resolution has been prepared for the board's consideration and approval. The resolution will require the signatures of all board members, the county attorney, and the county clerk, with the chairman authorizing to execute any additional documents necessary to complete the millage rate process. And the millage rate for the county reduced 0.113. We did take the rollback rate. It was 2.07. And for anybody that's interested in it, the cost of a meal in 2026 is $867,808. It's about a 10% increase over the last year. And that's just due to the increase of the digest, not overall tax. So it's the assessment of the tax in the county. And the fire bond and fire district was slightly decreased as well. Fire district went down 0.021. FIRE bond reduction of 0.006. And because we took the rollback rate and a decrease in the millage rate, we only require to have one public hearing.

We have a motion to adopt 2026 millage rate for Mary River County. So moved.

Second.

All in favor?

Would it include adopting the resolution and allowing the chairman to sign any other related documents? Yes.

Yeah. I thought the motion included that. Yes. It does? Well, I mean, any motion to approve carries with the chairman's authorization.

And adopting the resolution? Yes. Okay. We'll make sure everybody, what we're saying to you.

That we have any for executive said.

We do for personnel.

like a motion to go into executive session, for litigation, personnel, real estate, tax matters, and cyber security.

So moved.

Second.

All in favor? Motion to go back into... Need a motion to go back into regular session. So moved.

Second. All in favor?

Aye. No action was taken in executive session. Need a motion to adjourn. So moved.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.